Surface-cleaning machine



March 6, 1928.

1,661,480 w. L. KEEFER SURFACE CLEANING MACHINE Filed March 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 99410024 93. Jfwjw/r/ March 6, 1928. 1,66l,480

Y w. 1.. KEEFER SURFACE CLEANING MACHINE Filed March 2, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIE-+ lllllllllllllilllfl Wane/0o I g I @WM :8, A5

Patented ar. e, 1928. v

UNITED STATES.

' WALTER KEEIEB, 01' CHAIIBEBSBUBG,,ERHSYLVLNIA.

SURFACE-CLEANING MACHINE.

Application filed larch 2,- 1925. serial Io. 12,031.

My invention relates to, improvements in machines for cleaning surfaces and it is intended rimarl'y for use as a window washer, althoug not restricted to such use.

5 One'object of the invention is to provide a machine in which novel provisionis made for feeding a washing liquid from a receptacle, applying it to the surface to be washed, and by 'means of suction, returning the liquid to the ori inal receptacle for further use, such liqui being referably filtered before it is a ain fed to t e surface being cleaned. A stlll furtherobject of the invention is to provide a unique receptacle and associated 1.5 means for pumping the washing liquid to the surface to be washed, and for creating a partial vacuum in said receptacle above the liquid level, to return the liquid from said surface. In this connection, a further aim is to provide a hollow removable top or cover for the receptacle, the interior of said top or coverforming a fan chamber receiving a fan which exhausts air from the upper portion of the receptacle to induce return of liquid thereto by suction.

Another object is to mount a driving motor for the suction creating fan directly upon the removable cover.

'Yet another object is to provide a receptacle having a removable top which carries -air exhausting means including a shaft extending below said top, and to make unique provision for driving the liquid-expelling pump from said shaft. An operating shaft for the pump and the first named shaft are preferably provided with cosacting friction Wheels, and another object is to mount the pump and the pump shaft upon a novel form of movable support in the receptacle, so that o by effecting an adjustment] of said support, the friction wheel of the-pump shaft may be moved toward or from the fr ction wheel. of' the other shaft, when the re eptacle top 1s to be removed or replaced. p A still further aim is to form a casing for the pump as an int 'ral part of' the above named movable-mom er, andanother object.

is to provide: a construction in which this movable member also acts as a support for a filter through which the liquid is .forced as it is discharged from the receptacle:

WVi'th the foregoing and minor objects in view, the invention resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter described and as claimed, the description being supplemented by the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a surface wash ng machine constructed 1n accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the li uid and vacuum receptacles and associate parts.

The subject matter' illustrated in the drawings above briefly described, may be considered as the preferred form of the invention and while this construction will be hereinafter rather specifically described, it is to be understood at the outset that numerous modifications may be made.

The numeral 1 on the drawings designates a head having a liquid-applying pad 17, .a'

squeegee 9, a nipple 19 for conducting liquid to said pad, and a tubular handle 6 communicating with the space under said squeegee. A liquid sup ly hose 18 is connected to the nipple '19 an a liquid return hose 7 is connected with the tubular handle 6.

The liquid discharge hose 18 is coupled to aliquid outlet nipple 23 and the liquid re-. turn hose 7 is connected to a liquid return nipple 22, both of said nipples being joinedto the wall of a receptacle 24. This receptacle is adapted to contain a quantity of clear water or any other washing liquid, and

in all instances, the hose 7 will connect with said receptacle at a point above the liquid level. As will be hereinafter described, novel provision is made for pumping the liquid from the receptacle through the hose 1 8'to the. pad 17, and for creating a partial vacuum in the upper portion of said receptacle to draw the liquid from the head 1 back into the receptacle, after Suchliquid has performed its function. v

The body portion of the receptacle 24 is by preference in the form of a bucket having an appropriate bail 25 by means of which it may be readily carried from place to place, and this receptacle is provided with a hollow top 26 whose interior constitutes a fan chamber 27, the greater portion of said top preferably being fitted slidably within the upper portion of the receptacle body, so that the entire top and all parts carried thereby may be removed whenever desired for dumping liquid from the receptacle, for cleaning the interior of thelatter, or for supplying a new quantity of liquid thereto.

.The top 26 preferably COIHPIISBSI a top w side of said wall, and a bottom plate having an upstanding flange 31 secured to the flange 29 by suitable fasteners 32. The plate 30 is formed with at least one opening 33 communicating with the interior of the receptacle 24 and forming an air inlet for the fan chamber 27, and the top plate 23 is formed with a plurality of air exhaust openings 34, leading from said chamber. An electric motor 35 is supported upon the top plate 28 and its shaft. 36 passes downwardly across the fan chamber 27 and projects through the opening 33 into the. upper portion of the receptacle 24. said shaft being provided with a high speed air exhausting fan 37 in said chamber 27. This fan exhausts air from the receptacle 24-, above the liquid level, and discharges such air through the openings 34, thereby producing suction through the head 1, through the tubular handle 6, and through the hose 7.

A supporting member 38 is pivotally mounted at 39 in the receptacle 24. said member having a horizontal portion including a casing 40, which casing is formed with a liquid inlet 41 and with a liquid outlet 42. The member 38 also includes a vertical portion 43 carrying an appropriate vertical bearing 44 which is positioned over the casing 40. Rotatable in this bearing is a vertical shaft 45 whose lower end carries a pump rotor 46 disposed in the casing 40, said rotor being operative to draw liquid into this casing and discharge it through the outlet 42. Communicating with this outlet and supported solely by the horizontal portion of the supporting member 38, I have shown a filter 47 which may be of any desired design, the outlet of said filter being connected by a flexible hose 48 with a nipple 49 which extends inwardly from the wall of the receptacle 24, in communication with the nipple 23. Thus, whenever the rotor 46 is operated, liquid from the receptacle 24 will be drawn into the casing 40, forced through the filter 47, the hose 48, and the nipples 49-23 to the hose 18, the latter serving to supply such liquid to the pad 17;

Provision is made for driving the shaft 45 from the shaft 36, without interfering with removal of the latter when the top 26 is removed. Preferably, this driving means consists of a relatively large rubber-tired friction wheel 50 on the upper end of the shaft 45, and a co-acting, relatively small friction wheel 51 on the lower end of shaft 36, the two wheels constituting a separable driving connection between the two shafts. A coiled compression spring 52 has been shown, interposed between the upper end of the member 38 and the wall of the receptacle 24, to move said member in a manner to hold the wheel 50 against the wheel 51, when themachine is to be operated. In order, however, that wheel 50 may be held against excessive inward movement under the action of the spring 52, when the wheel 51 is removed bodily with the receptacle top 26, I provide suitable means such as a bolt 53 connected with the upper end of the member 38, passing through the spring 52 and the receptacle wall, and provided at its outer end with a thumb nut 54. This arrangement will also regulate the amount of pressure with which the spring 52 holds the wheel .30 against the wheel 51, and if it is desired to do so, the nut 54 may be tightened before removing the cover 26, so as to draw the wheel 50 away from the wheel 51, insuring easy detachnienl; of said top 26 and re-application thereof. After such re-application, loosening of the nut 54 will permit the spring 52 to move the-member 38, thereby bringing the wheel 50 against the wheel 51 so that the pump rotor 46 will be operated when the motor 35 is driven. Should it be desired however, the wheels 50 and 51 may be leftout of contact with each other and the motor then operated to effect suction without. application of the washing fluid.

In addition to the advantages above set forth for the member 33, attention is directed to the fact that this member forms a support for a number of the parts of the device. so that such parts may be readily assembled with said member outside of the receptacle .34 and then all inserted bodily as a single unit, this being'of great advantage in the manufacture of the machine.

Under ordinary conditions. when it is notnecessary to reach too high with the head 1. its handle 6 may be grasped'and the head thus manipulated in the required manner. It is often necessary. however, to move the head to an elevation which cannot bereached by the users hand. To meet this condition. I have provided an elongated extension handle 55, shown in Fig. 1. This handle is preferably of transversely arched form to tightly lie upon the upper side of the hose 7,' so that said handle and hose may be jointly gripped in one or both hands. The front or upper end of the handle 55 is detachahly connected by means 5758--59 ith the handle but as these parts are not herein claimed. they are not shown in detail.

Preferably, the two hose 7 and 13 are connected with each other at intervals, as indicated at 60, and one of these connections may well engage the neck 6 of the head 1, instead of the hose 7. I also prefer to equip the hose 18 with a suitable cutofi' 61 which may be used to regulate the discharge of the washing liquid therethrough. I

The machine constructed as or substantially as shown and described, will be highly eflicient and desirable for washing windows or any other surfaces, and even when the head 1 is entirely removed from such surface, there is no danger of the washing liquid 'Ill I running froin'such head, as it will not discharge through the pad 17 il'ra stream or particular arrangement.

Iclaimr 1. In a surface washlng device, a liquid applylng nozzle 'and a suction nozzle, a

single receptacle for a washing liquid, liquid.-

outlet means leading from said receptacle to the li uid applyingnozzle, a pump for efl'ecting ow of liquid from said receptacle through said outlet means, a liquid return" member leading from the suctiou'nozzle and communicating with the part of said recep-' tacle above the liquid level, and means for exhausting air from said part of said receptacle above the liquid level to create suction through said liquidreturn member.

2. In a cleaning device, a liquid applying nozzle and a suction nozzle, a substantially closed receptacle adapted to be partiallyfilled with llquid and provided with a liquid outlet passage leading to the liquid applying nozzle, a liquid force pump associated with said liquid outletpassage for expelling liquid through said passage, afan chamber having an 'air inlet communicating with "the upper end of said receptacle and provided,

it also with an'air outlet, a fan .in said-'fa'n chamber for exha'ustingair from the r tion of the receptacle above-the liquid'level,

, tially -filledl-,with liquid an said portion having a liquid return member leading from 'the suction nozzle,iand driving means'for said force pump and fan;

3 In a" cleaning device, a liquid' applyinglnozzle and a suction nozzle, a subdanha y closed receptacle ada ted to be par ifprovided with v a liquid outletpas'sage leading to the liquidapplying nozzle, a liquid force pump a'spciated' with isaid liquid oi tlet passage for exfilling liquid through the same, a-fan chamighaving anair inlet communicating with the upper end of said receptacle and pro- ,vided also with an'air outlet, 11' fan in said fin chamberfor eixhaustin'g air from the, u

grrti'onofthe receptacle above the liquid] vel, portion q avilig n liquid a member leading from said suction nozzle, a

motor having a vertical shaft directl carrylng said fan, and means driven y said shaft for driving said force pump.

4. In a cleaning device, a liquid applying nozzle and a suction nozzle, a substantially closed receptacle including a removable hollow top whose interior constitutes. a fan chamber, said fan chamber havingan air inlet communicating with the interior of the receptacle and being also provided with an air outlet, said receptacle being adapted to contain a'quantity of liquid and having a liquid discharge passage leading to said liq- .uid applying nozzle and provided with a pump located in the receptacle, said receptaclebeing provided with a liquid return member above theliquid level and leading from'said suction nozzle, a motor mounted on'the receptacle topand having a shaft extending into the receptacle, an air exhaust- 7 ing fan carried by said shaft and disposed in said fan chamber, and means for dr1v-- ing said pump from said shaft, including a separable driving connection permitting removal of the shaft with the'receptacle top.

5. In a cleaning device, a liquidapplying nozzle and a suction nozzle, asubstantially closed receptacle including a removable top,

said receptacle being adapted to contain a.

quantity of liquid and being provided with a 'Iiquid"return member above the liquid level and leading from said suction nozzle,

means carried by said top for exhaustin air 'fronrthe receptacle, including a sha -t projecting'below' said top, a support movably mounted in thejreceptacle, said support comprising a horizontal portion including a casing having a liquid inlet, and-avertical portion having 'a-vertical bearing over said casing; a vertical shaft mounted in said bearing-and havin a pump rotor in said casing,aliquid disc arge assage fromsaid casing ,to the liquid app ying nozzle and embodying a flexible portionin said rece tacle, co-acting driving wheels carried by t e two shafts, and'mea'nsior movingthe aforesaid support to bring said; wheels into or outfof contact .witheach other.

port-ion of saidjliquid arge In test-imony whereof I aflixod my. signature; v

have hereunto 7 10a 6. A structure as specified in claim 5 together with a filter carried by said horizontal support and forming part of 

